Damned Successor
by caramimi
Summary: One-shot. Zira had birthed yet another failure to the throne. The birth of the princess of the Outlands, and of Scar's illegitimate, cursed heiress.


**Damned Successor**

* * *

"Scar."

The king looked up, his gaze slightly aloof. His emerald eyes met Zira's in a strikingly sharp gaze, and the two were locked in a cage of tension. He approached with an ever so stern expression. Whatever tad of zest Scar had, was hindered well within his dull aspect, and exchanged for the rigid atmosphere that sealed them both in an enveloping silence.

Zira noted that there was no change of expression as he leisurely strolled over to where she laid, only a guise of disgust had appeared when he leaned down to gape at the small bundle held firmly in her grasp. It didn't take Zira even a second to know she had failed her king again - and it wasn't new news to her. She'd been fretting over his reaction since she'd birthed the little cub.

"Zira..." Scar turned around, his eyebrows curled. An unsheathed claw found its way over his temple. "The cub isn't a _female,_ is it?"

The lioness shook with distress. "S-Scar, if you'll just let me explain-"

"I believe I asked you a question," the king said, cutting her off. It took all his might to keep himself solemn. "This thing that you've bothered to show in my direction, is it a _male_ or a _female?"_

She was hesitating, and Scar was losing his patience. He knew the cub was a female, but he wanted her to say it. Zira needed to perceive how grave her failure was.

The dorsal-striped lioness cast down her gaze, towards her dozing child. Her daughter was innocent, but to Scar she was illegitimate and shunned - for her gender. A waste of time, waste of an attempt of bearing a second, suitable male heir.

"F-female," the mother finally coughed out, stammering. Her fear spread so rapidly throughout her body to the point where she was mildly shivering. Although it was unlikely, she prayed Scar would be lenient towards her this time. She'd failed him once already, with a scrawny and sickly male cub they named Nuka. "B-but Scar-"

" _That_ was all I asked." Scar interjected, putting extreme emphasis on the word. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. He couldn't even begin to describe how he was feeling, there was much more depth than that.

Silenced, the king began to saunter away.

"Scar!" Zira croaked. "P-please! Give me another chance, I won't let you down, I swear!"

He didn't cease.

" _Scar!_ " Desperation strangled her, but she was kept in place. She couldn't get up and leave her daughter - she was too young to remain on her own for the moment. The least she could do was try to get Scar's attention as his figure shrunk. "I _will_ give you a son, Scar! A healthy, male heir!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, though she wouldn't dare let them spill. It'd only be another sign of weakness - she'd rather feign her felicity than behave meekly. She wouldn't become frail and cowardly.

Zira was a mother of two, but she was yet very capable and young enough of bearing more cubs. She knew she could bear a suitable heir, it would just take some time. And patience. If Scar was even inclined to be that tolerant.

An exasperated sigh escaped her, and Zira found there was no use of hollering any longer. Scar wouldn't come back - he probably wouldn't return to see her for a few days. Rage was what currently consumed him. He wanted nothing to do with this daughter of his.

She gaped down at her, radiating with motherly pride at the vibrant-tan, azure-eyed female cub. Perhaps Scar was fed with repugnance when he shot a glimpse at the little girl. But as Zira's scrutiny fell on the cub, she realised this cub was much more capable of being Scar's heir than Nuka would ever be. Or any of Scar's other, pesky brats.

"Vitani." Zira lilted, the name rolling gently off her tongue. "My little demon of war."

Pulling her little Vitani closer to her chest, that rose and fell, Zira stroked her daughter's petite headtuft with her tongue.

She would be successful.

* * *

 **A/N:** But we all know what happened after that. Little Kovu was born~ And with Kovu's birth, Nuka's (which was long gone) and Vitani's chances of ever being legitimate heirs vanished...into thin air.

This was quite short, since my main focus was supposed to be on the emotion. But since I have no big project I am working on right now, I think I will write a series of oneshots (maybe). So maybe this thing will be updated, or not xp

My idea of Scar and Zira's relationship was that there wasn't one. They weren't mates, or anything. Zira was just madly in love with the idea of power so she was submissive to King Scar, who was willing to breed with as many lionesses as possible to gain a suitable heir. She was certain she could give him one, but it ended up with her and a rogue resulting in Kovu, who was born soon after Scar died.

But there was lots of competition for the right heir, Scar had bred with many of the Pridelanders already but they'd all birthed daughters. However, they were more fertile and probably more capable of producing a biological, suitable heir for Scar.

Scar was never close to Zira's cubs, but as shown in TLK2, Zira practically worshipped him which led to her cubs believing he was someone of very high standards.

The art on the cover is by TLKIleana on deviantart.


End file.
